Discuss the main social and economic factors which have affected the status of women since 1914.

However, immediately after the war ended, society once again deemed that women needed ‘men’s moral guidance’,  and ceased all the freedom that they had been allowed. With social expectations once again dictating that women return to the home, adopting their subservient demeanour, and again become dependent on men. In spite of this, a dilemma that society had not accounted for was the great number of male lives lost during The First World War. After 1918, there was a distinct lack of returning servicemen, and the unattached men that did return were often maimed or mentally scarred.  This caused a disastrous effect on women’s prospects of marriage and dependency. With many women having no choice but to remain unmarried. Therefore, reforms to social independence were needed due to the current structure of society having no provision for them, to be able to support themselves without male guidance.  Thus, it was during this intermediate period between wars that women rigorously continued their campaign for a change to their status, and by 1925 legislation concluded that ‘a father could no longer be considered as the sole guardian of his children’. However, significant this piece of legislation was, it was largely unenforceable and unable to undo centuries of traditional thinking.

As before, the outbreak of The Second World War again saw vast changes in societies expectations of women.  Again the government conclude that women could be more usefully employed away from the home and family life.  Social dependency once again disappeared. Changes in social culture meant that women were soon spending more time unaccompanied, with men.  This resulted in more women participating in sexual behaviours before marriage.  Although society still frowned on the rise in illegitimacy, it was not to the same extent as previously.  The immediate years after the war also saw a noticeable rise within divorce rates, which may have been an indication of women’s altering views to their own expectations of marriage. However, statistics shows that in 1946, 75 per cent of divorces that had been petitioned were filed by men for adultery.  Nevertheless, marriage was still seen as a prerequisite of this era with many women entering into it after only a short courtship, yet for many it was now for personal happiness and not necessity.

Another factor in the changing status of women can be accredited to the improvements within women’s health. Before the wars women were not subject to the same health rights as men.  Doctors and midwives had to be paid for, and they generally had little idea on the workings of the female body. Therefore unless completely necessary women would often go without medical treatment.  Women’s poor heath, and long confinements additionally helped aid men’s views that women were the weaker sex.  However, with continuing campaigning for women rights, legislation such as The Maternal and Child Welfare Act in 1918 enabled local authorities to provide services such as health visitors and infant welfare centres for married women. Additionally 1930 saw the introduction of family planning clinics and free conception, which permit women to regulate the amount of children they chose to have. Nevertheless, these benefits were only available to married women who already had a family. Yet, by 1948 Britain had implemented the National Health Service, which allowed all women to receive free medical care. 

Additionally, it was not until the Sixties that women were truly able to shed the shackles of many years of repression. Women attitude was now to please themselves and not society. They were able to be assertive and although society still frowned on some moral issues women for the first time were able to choose what they wanted from life. Many now were able to live alone without any stigma being attached to them. They were also able to choose what career they wished to enter into or indeed they could go on to higher education.  The Sixties, also saw the introduction of the conceptive pill 967, abortion rights for social reasons 1967 and The Divorce Reform Act 1969. All women were now able to experiment sexually before marriage, which in turn advocating a ‘free love’ society. With all these major changes, women were suddenly thrusted into a world that had never been open to their mothers or grandmother. Although many single women joined the movement, many married women still believed that ‘a woman’s place was in the home’.  Even during this period women would still choose to leave the workplace once married and dedicate her-self to family life.  

Although hugely important, the emancipation of women cannot solely be attributed to these changes in social stature. Another significant factor that helped the changing status has been their economical independency.  Feminists such as Eleanor Rathbone began to realise the important of this precedent and claimed, ‘that if women were to be equal partners in marriage it was not just enough for them to have the right to vote but they also need to be economically independent.’  

Yet as previously stated, the economic dependency of women was largely on the same par as their social status before the two World Wars.  Women were entitled to none of their own money, or any employment benefits. Therefore they were totally dependent on the men around them.  Work was seen as something done out of necessity and had nothing to do with personal fulfilment. Therefore, women in the upper and middle classes were not expected to work.   However, by 1851 Britain found herself with half a million surplus women, and due to an economic need, many had no other choice but to seek employment. 

However, restrictions due to social status dictated what sort of employment many women were able to seek, with women being barred from the profession such as Lawyers or Doctors.  This meant that should middle classes girls need to find employment, they could only aspire to governess, nurse or a teacher.  Whereas, working class girls fair less well, their choices could include either employment with the domestic service or the textile industry, However, with many women in service there were no employment laws or Trade Unions, to protect them. Thus many found arduous working conditions, hours long and with very little pay. 

When reforming middle class Britain, the Victorians determined that women needed protecting from unscrupulous work ethics as well as low morals standards within the work place. Hence, they introduced legislation to classify women as ‘non-adults.’  This in effect encouraged more discrimination of the female work force by noticeably dividing the work place. Women were now seen as cheap labour and only capable of unskilled work. 

Initially, it was during The First World War that attitudes towards a women’s capability, within the workplace were challenged.  With the constriction of men, Britain had no other choice but to recruit female labour to be able to sustain the economy. By 1918, over one and a half million women were employed within professions that had previously been closed to them. Employers soon favoured the female workforce. Due to their subservient nature, few complained about being given the monotonous jobs and employers were able to pay them less wages then men. The government could no longer deny the contribution women were making to the war effort.  This concerned the Trade Unions and they only conceded to ‘dilution of labour’, if it was only for the duration of the war.  Although women had proved their ability to cope with so called ‘men’s work’, within two weeks of demobilisation, a hundred and thirteen thousand women had been dismissed from industries.  The government had conceded to the Trade Unions demands and given them The Pre-war Trade Practices Act in 1918, which ensure that men’s jobs would be held open for them.

Unemployment and depression after the war caused a huge problem for married women who needed to work.  In an attempt to limit the affect of war, the government once again emphasised the importance of women returning to their duty within the home. In spite of the 1919, Sex Discrimination (Removal) Act Women suddenly found the ‘marriage bar’ being the reinforced within professions such as teaching, and by 1926, around 75 per cent of local authorities had implemented this.  Women found the employment opportunities that they enjoyed during the war were once again closed to them. Many were forced to return to domestic service, due to them not being able to claim unemployment benefit.  Yet many women seemed happy to accept this without much discord, and thus they slipped back into economic dependency during peacetime. 

As in the first war, The Second World War saw the country’s need to utilize women in its campaign towards the war effort, and by 1941 the mobilisation of all eligible woman had been implemented. Although still subject to discrimination, unlike before women now found themselves not only working within the industries but they were now taking on roles such as ambulance drivers and auxiliaries in the Armed Forces. 

However, once again after the war women found themselves returning much to the same way of life as before. Yet the 1945, Family Allowance Act, meant that for the first time the state paid benefit directly to the woman and in 1955 equal pay was awarded within the teaching profession, civil service and local government offices.  Nevertheless women were still largely financial dependant on their husband and over the next 20 years, the vast majory of women continue the trend of working up until they married and then leaving to raise a family.  Although the breakdown in social attitudes and the improvements in technology enabled women to enter more professions, such as clerical work the majority still found that they were employed in the less skilled jobs at a lower rate of pay. 

Nevertheless, it has only been the last forty years that has seen great changes within the opportunities that are now available to women within the workplace.   In 1958 Britain’s saw its  first female bank manager, and in 1962, Dame Barbara Salt became the first female ambassador.  Yet, it was only in the Seventies that signalled the openings of some of the major institutions to a female workforce. 1973 saw women for the first time being allowed onto the floor of the stock exchange, and undoubtedly the most major advance in the way women viewed there own status would need to be attributed back to the first female prime minister in 1979.  Although Britain had seen several female monarchies they had been viewed by society as fulfilling their duty of birth, which was given by god. Whereas, society saw Margaret Thatcher’s work her way into power and prove she was in fact the ‘best man for the job.’ 

 Yet, even with all these changes, women still found they were being discriminated against within the pay structure and it was only due to legislation in 1970, that The Equal Pay Act stipulated that within five years women and men should have equal pay for equal jobs.  However, many employers were able to avoid the issue of equal pay by giving different titles to the same jobs. Therefore, in 1984, legislation brought in The Equal Value Amendment to the Equal Pay Act, this allowed women the right to claim equal pay for doing different jobs, if they could be considered of the same value.  Another, important piece of legislation was the 1975, Sex Discrimination Act, which banned sex discrimination not only in employment, but also education and advertising.  This act also contributed to the Equal Opportunities Commission being set up to ensure this new act was observed.

However even today, women’s roles are largely the same, although some social attitudes have change, it is still deemed desirable for a woman to stay at home with the children if financially possible. Workingwomen still have the arduous task of running family commitment with a career, often leading to stress related illness.  Due to the law protecting women from discrimination, it has in fact lead to longer working lives, with retirement age now being the same for a man and a woman.

In conclusion, there have been many contributing factors, which have had an effect on the status of women during this period, such as improved healthcare, educational reforms, legislation in the workplace, the right to vote, as well as changes in divorce laws.  Although it is difficult to say which has had more affect, it can be largely agreed that the two major wars, had a great deal to do with the emancipation of women.  Additionally control of personal issues such as the availability of contraception, and social security has also aided women.  Women are now able to control their own lives and are no longer financially dependant on men. Thus, ensuring that society no longer viewed them as inferior or property of a man. 

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